Thinking Out Loud
by T2 Angel
Summary: People do, indeed, fall in love in mysterious ways. Sometimes, all it takes, is a trip for ice cream for love to be revealed. Inspired by the song by Ed Sheeran. AAML. One-Shot.


**A/N: Story Number 71! This story was inspired by the beautiful song by** **Ed Sheeran. Another AAML and the second, and last, to be posted on my birthday! Yay!  
**

 **Now, for the ages of our favorite duo:**

 **Ash - 21**

 **Misty - 21**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **Thinking Out Loud  
**

Misty was sitting on her couch and reading a book, having nothing special planned for the evening, when her cell phone rang and the face of her best friend popped up on the screen.

She smiled and answered. "Hey, Ash! What's up?"

" _You, me, ice cream,_ " Ash answered. " _Now._ "

She giggled. "Direct, aren't you?"

" _Am I ever any other way?_ "

She giggled again. "No, you're not."

" _So? Ice cream!_ "

"Well, you're forgetting one problem with your plan, Mr. Ketchum."

" _And that would be?_ "

"Unless you're in town, I don't see us being able to get ice cream."

" _Come outside._ "

Her eyes went wide, "You're not…"

" _Yes, I am._ "

She hung up, threw on some shoes, and walked outside to see him leaning on one of the columns by her door.

He smiled. "Hey, Mist!"

"Hey!" she shouted, joyfully. She ran up and hugged him. He hugged her back, both of them squeezing the other. They released the hug and Misty looked him over. "You're lookin' good."

"Feelin' good."

"What brings out here?"

"Like I said: ice cream."

"Really? You came all the way to Cerulean for ice cream?"

"No. I came here for the _company_ to go get ice cream."

She smiled. "Good answer."

"I thought so."

"Let me grab my purse."

A few minutes later, they were walking out of one of their favorite ice cream parlors in the city, eating cups of ice cream with spoons: Ash had a vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup and nuts and Misty had a specialty ice cream which was cheesecake flavored with sprinkles.

"Is that really any good?" Ash asked, looking at the blue colored ice cream.

"Oh, my gosh, it is so delicious!" Misty said, ecstatically. She took out a spoonful and held it in front of him, "Try it!"

"Cheesecake ice cream? That's a little weird."

"Oh, you big baby! Try it! You never know! You might like it."

He sighed. "Sure." He took the bite she offered. His eyes lit up. "Holy…" He went for it with his own spoon, "Lemme have some more!"

She moved her cup away, "Forget it! You made fun of it!"

"Then you made me eat it and I like it! I take it back!"

"Nope! Mine!"

He stopped trying to go for it and just pouted. "Fine! Eat your stupid, delicious cheesecake ice cream!"

"Thank you, sir! I will!"

They stared at each other in silence before erupting into laughter. They walked for another minute, heading into a nearby park where they enjoyed the serenity of the night, the beauty of the park, but, most of all, the exceptional company of one another.

Misty picked at her ice cream and looked at her best friend. "So, come on, Ash: how come you're really here?"

He smiled. "Honestly?"

"Yeah."

He looked at her. "I just really wanted to see you."

She was actually a little surprised by that answer. "Really?"

"Yeah." He looked around the city. "I'm tired of only getting to see you when things are hectic or I'm travelling and happen to be in the area and vice versa or if there's some kind of crisis. You're one of the people who matters the most to me and… I hate that I let it get to the point that something has to happen for me to get to see you." He looked at her. "I just… wanted to see just to see you. I miss you."

She smiled, putting his words in her heart and knowing she would keep them there always. "I know how you feel. I'd been wanting to see you, too. And… I miss you, too."

He smiled.

They walked until they came to a beautiful fountain that different sculptures of Pokémon on it. It was illuminated by spotlights shining on it that made it appear regal.

"This is new," Ash said, impressed.

Misty smiled. "Yeah. Put in about three months ago or something like that. I come here a lot to relax."

"Cool. Let's chill here."

"Sounds good."

They sat down on a park bench, facing the fountain, and kept eating their ice cream as they looked at the beautiful sculpture.

"How's your mom?" Misty asked.

Ash chuckled. "Enjoying the newly married life."

"I keep thinking about her in that dress on her wedding day. She looked so beautiful."

"And happy." He chuckled. "Jonah really makes her happy."

"And how does that make you feel?"

It was a good question. He thought for a second. "Well… it makes me feel happy for her. I can't help but feel like I'm glad I'm not in the house anymore."

She giggled. "Not wanting to be around the lovebirds all the time?"

"Yeah but not for why you might think."

"Okay, so, break it down for me."

"I don't want to be in the way of her life."

Another surprising statement to hear from him. "Ash… I know your mom and you will never be in the way of her life."

"Sure, I would be." He smiled. "But I'm not depressed about that, if that's what you're thinking."

"It sounds like it."

"No, that's not what I mean."

"So, what then?"

"I mean… she's spent so much of her life on me since Dad left… she deserves to have someone who loves her and is there for her. And I don't want her to think that she has to focus on me for the rest of her life."

"You think she would?"

He laughed, "She was in love with Jonah for, like, a year before she'd even go out with him and it was because she was worried about how I would take it."

"That's because you're a hot head."

"You just don't like to pull punches, do you?"

She smirked. "With you? No."

"Sad thing is I can't say that you're wrong. So… that's why I'm glad I'm not there. She can focus on being in love, being happy." He smiled. "And I'm happy for her."

"That's so awesome that you're looking out for her like that."

He smiled. "I just want her to be happy. She deserves it."

"She really does." She looked at him. "But, remember one thing, Ash."

"What's that?"

"She's just as lucky to have you for a son as she is to have Jonah for a husband."

He smiled. "Thanks, Mist."

"Just telling the truth." She took a bit of ice cream. "It's not every child who cares so much about their parent like that."

"Can't help it when it comes to my mom." He took another bite of his own ice cream.

"Yeah. She has that kind of heart that makes you care about her."

"Yeah, she does. It's one way she got Jonah."

Misty giggled. "He just didn't stand a chance against her smile."

"You know he tells me that's what he loved about her first? Her smile."

"Not hard to see why. Delia brightens any room with that smile."

"And how." Ash chuckled. "Mom says she knew she was in love with Jonah by how he used to just hug her whenever he left."

"And that did it?"

He smiled. "I mean, he'd hugged her before but she said that, more and more, she just couldn't get over how comfortable they felt to her. She said that she felt… something she hadn't in a long time whenever he hugs her. She just couldn't describe it but she just knew it. She knew that she was in love with him."

Misty smiled, becoming lost in thought. "That must be a good feeling."

"Yeah…"

They fell back into a comfortable silence, the ice cream was just about gone. The subject of Delia's love had set both of their minds and hearts in a place that hadn't expected.

This change in atmosphere led Ash to ask a very interesting question. "Do you ever think about love, Misty?"

She thought that question would surprise her but, while it did, it more so made her heart skip a beat. "Sometimes. Why ask?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Thinking out loud, I guess."

"I got you."

"And… talking about Mom and all that that with her wedding got me thinking. She told that she was just so worried about how to be with Jonah but feel in love with him a while back. When she told me how she knew she loved him, I was happy and surprised that that was how she knew. I just wonder about it, every now and then. How people fall in love, ya know?"

"I hear you. I think it just happens when it happens. You know, for whatever reason."

"What do you think it would take for you to fall in love with someone?"

She looked at him, surprised. She started blushing. "Why do you ask?"

He looked at her. "Just curious." He knew that wasn't the only reason but that was all he could say right away. He could be more or less forthcoming with another answer based on her answer.

She was quiet for a while, considering how best to answer the question. The answer was a lot more complicated than she thought it would be. "I don't know. Probably wouldn't have to be anything to grand. Someone who's there for me. Who cares about me. Would just… love me even though I'm crazy."

He chuckled, looking back at fountain and taking a bite of ice cream.

She looked away, her eyes trailing the ground. "Maybe even… just… come see me just because and go get ice cream with me."

Ash blinked when he heard that then smirked. He nodded. "Good to know."

"What about you?"

He shrugged. "I don't think it would take anything much."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. The right person wouldn't need to do much. She could just… be an amazing friend. Be supportive. Smack in the head when I needed it." He gave another small shrug. "And she'd have to be gorgeous. I mean, like over the moon gorgeous."

She looked down a little.

"And she'd have to be okay with the fact that I'm always gonna be there for her. No matter what. Oh! And she'd also like to go get ice cream with me just because."

She looked at him and, without looking at her, he smiled.

"That…" she exhaled. "That would be one lucky girl."

"I think your guy would be the lucky one."

"I don't know about that."

"I do." He looked back at her. "I've always known that. Always."

"Ash…"

"Can I ask another question?"

"Anything," she said, swiftly.

"So…" he began, "…what if… on the whole subject of love… there's nothing to look for? When it comes to us, I mean."

She started to find it getting a little warm this evening, even the ice cream wasn't really cooling her down. Her heart was starting to race, in the best way possible.

"Maybe… we found love a long time ago and never realized it."

"Or… it… just needed time to develop."

"Maybe so. Maybe it started for us when we were ten. On the road to Viridian. Right where we were." He looked at her, "It just came full circle now. Right where we are."

She smiled. "I think you're right."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Because I left one thing out."

"What's that?"

"For me to love someone, they'd have to be, at least, half the person you are. Actually… he'd have to be you."

"Good to know. Because the girl I'd find wouldn't stand a chance if she isn't you."

"Guess you'll have to settle for me."

"One thing I can confidently say, Misty, is that if I'm lucky enough to have you want to be with me, then I am absolutely not settling."

"But… you said 'over the moon gorgeous' in your list."

"Who else did you think I was talking about?"

She blushed.

He smiled at her. "Looks I came for something after all. Sorry about that."

She smiled. "Well, I'm used to you being wrong so it's okay."

He laughed.

She looked at him, lovingly. "Kiss me."

He stared right at her. "I can do that."

They leaned in closer and their lips met. For an evening that started out with them just wanting to hang out together, they could not a picture a better way for this evening to go. The kiss was chaste at first but the longer it went, the deeper it became. After their kiss, they stared at each other, not being able to fathom any way this night could've gone any better.

"Your lips still cold from the ice cream," she giggled.

"Yours, too," he chuckled.

They laughed lightly.

Misty moved even closer and wrapped her arms around Ash, resting her head on his shoulder. "Did you think the night would end up like this?"

He put his arm around her waist. "No way." He scoffed. "I just really wanted to see you. I didn't realize how much until you opened the door."

"Same here." She kissed his cheek. "I see what your mom means by just having the arms of someone you love around them."

"Me, too."

"It is an amazing feeling."

"Yeah, it is."

"And for the record, you're pretty good at thinking out loud."

"Thanks." He thought for a second. "You know? It's not late. Wanna make this an official date and go see a movie?"

"I'd love that."

They stood up and Misty suddenly kissed Ash, putting he around his neck to pull him closer.

Afterward, he stared at her. "Am I in for a lot those moments?"

"Yeah."

He smiled. "This night just keeps getting better."

"Glad you think so."

"I know so."

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 **A/N: So, did you guys like it? REVIEWS, PLEASE!**


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